Microsoft January 2024 Security Updates

Microsoft January 2024 Security Updates
January 2024 Security Updates

This release consists of the following 48 Microsoft CVEs:

Tag CVE Base Score CVSS Vector Exploitability FAQs? Workarounds? Mitigations?

https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/...

KB5034441 - known issue where the update will fail to install

Indeed, bob 🙂 
My workaround was to reinstall windows, keeping my documents and settings. This procedure is simple to undertake, as it realigns the hard drive recovery partition in which the update fault lies.
 
I know that looks drastic but the thousands of users reporting this fault across the world, tinkering with the hard drive is not a good idea as it will fail unless executed correctly. 
My advice to everyone if at all unsure is to forget this update for the time being until Microsoft comes out with a fix of some sort.  

Edited by NICK_ADSL_UK (Thu 11-Jan-24 15:21:22)

Hi Nick

Just so I and others are clear, KB5034441 is for Windows 10 not Windows 11?

In reply to a post by bobble_bob:

KB5034441 - known issue where the update will fail to install

This is an interesting one, KB5034441 has attempted and failed to install itself twice on my machine.

I seem to have two recovery partitions, a 499 GB recovery partition at the start of my SSD and a 588 MB recovery partition inside the 94 GB of unallocated space at the end of my SSD (intentionally unallocated for over-provisioning).

I'm going have have a go with this fun: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/kb5028997-...

I created a 1 GB recovery partition from my unallocated space and KB5034441 installed without error.

In reply to a post by PCJM40:

Hi Nick

Just so I and others are clear, KB5034441 is for Windows 10 not Windows 11?

As far as i know, this update on my travels effects Windows 10 and 11. This is because the recovery partition in which the update fault lies is too small to install this update.

As I said above, My workaround was to reinstall windows, keeping my documents and settings. This procedure is simple to undertake, as it realigns the hard drive recovery partition in which the update fault lies.

You could also add a small recovery partition on C drive, instead of a minimum of 600 MB, if you know what you're doing.

For those unsure, it's best to hold back on this update for BitLocker until Microsoft have worked out a fix if possible for this update

as you can see here, a good deal of help threads have been started by those affected in the Microsoft community forum



https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/wi...

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

I created a 1 GB recovery partition from my unallocated space and KB5034441 installed without error.

glad to see Oliver, all went well for you

In reply to a post by NICK_ADSL_UK:

glad to see Oliver, all went well for you

Thanks 🙂 Initially diskpart gobbled up all 94 GB of unallocated space for the new partition until I set a 1024 MB size limit instead. Other than that, I followed the instructions verbatim. Oh and I also deleted the second unused recovery partition at the start of the drive.

Or use the MS tool to hide the update

Are you saying KB5034441 is likely to fail if the small recovery partition on C drive is < 600 MB?

I have recovery partitions on C drive of 831 MB & 11.78 GB & KB5034441 was reported to have succeded.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Are you saying KB5034441 is likely to fail if the small recovery partition on C drive is < 600 MB?

I have recovery partitions on C drive of 831 MB & 11.78 GB & KB5034441 was reported to have succeded.

the 600 MB is the minimum for success

KB5034441: Windows Recovery Environment update for Windows 10, version 21H2 and 22H2: January 9, 2024
Windows 10 Home and Pro, version 21H2 More...
Summary
This update automatically applies Safe OS Dynamic Update (KB5034232) to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) on a running PC to address a security vulnerability that could allow attackers to bypass BitLocker encryption by using WinRE. For more information, see CVE-2024-20666.

IMPORTANT

This update requires 250 MB of free space in the recovery partition to install successfully. If the recovery partition does not have sufficient free space, this update will fail. In this case, you will receive the following error message:

0x80070643 - ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE

To avoid this error or recover from this failure, please follow the Instructions to manually resize your partition to install the WinRE update and then try installing this update.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb5034441-...

It looks like MS may have pulled it iv'e been informed

Still showing for me following a check for updates

In reply to a post by bobble_bob:

Still showing for me following a check for updates

Thanks bob for letting me know

No worries. Ive used the MS tool to hide the update. Dont use Bitlocker so the update is pointless for me anyway

Edited by bobble_bob (Mon 15-Jan-24 06:48:09)

Windows 10, version 21H2 update ( KB5034441)
Issue details
January 2024
The January 2024 Windows RE update might fail to install
Next steps: We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release.
Affected platforms:
Client: Windows 11, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 22H2; Windows 10, version 21H2
Server: Windows Server 2022
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-he...